April 15, 2010

Buried in the mystery of who fired the bullet that sent the gentle stand-off at Ratchadamnoen Avenue Bangkok into a frenzy of bottle throwing and gunfire leaving 24 dead, are black cloaked figures which operate as stand-ins for the hidden arms of power behind each of the political sides. The government claims such black uniformed paramilitary are Red Shirt saboteurs (it is commonly known that the Red Shirt police, the protestors own police guard, was dressed in black – if you watch the video account I posted yesterday), and no doubt the Red Shirts imagine that they are government military “acting” as Red Shirts. From the Bangkok Post:

“His prediction follows the repeated public airing by the government’s Centre for Administration of Emergency Situations of videos taken during the violence involving troops and protesters which resulted in 24 deaths and more than 800 injured on both sides.

One of the video clips shows a group of men armed with military-trype rifles, dressed in black with hooded faces, firing at troops during the clashes.

UDD leaders would accept responsibility if it is proven that they are connected with the terrorists, said Mr Natthawut.”

What is interesting is that apart from the myriad of cell phones and personal video cameras present – what we might call a relative democracy of epistemic eyes – a government agency set up its own video cameras making a “stage” for evidence to be collected (and performed). It adds an interesting layer of ideological ambiguity as shadowy figures either instigate the violence, or perform an instigation, signifying the threat of military coup on both halves of the otherwise peaceful stand off.